Adventist “Celebrities” Take the Ice Bucket Challenge
Trending everywhere is one of the most successful charity fundraising campaigns ever: the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which has raised $53.3 million since July 29. Chances are you’ve seen videos of George W. Bush, Stephen Spielberg, Justin Bieber, Bill Gates, Conan O’Brien, Rory McIlroy, Nicole Kidman, Mark Zuckerberg — pretty much any celebrity — and your family and friends taking the challenge, which involves having a bucket of ice water dumped over your head or donating $100 to the ALS Association (ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Most people seem to choose to get drenched and donate, both.
After the ice bucket is emptied on your head, you challenge a couple of others to do it, too.
Adventist “celebrities” are not immune to this viral movement. Church leaders, including world church president Ted Wilson, are being called out. The SDA Fans of Jesus Facebook page has posted a video of Wilson writing a $200 check to the ALS Association, in lieu of ice water, as he says he “detests cold water.” He encourages everyone else to donate as well “to this very worthy cause.”
This does not make for viewing as entertaining as others who say they will “just write a check,” before someone runs up with a “surprise” ice bucket. George W. Bush did this gag, and he was in good company, as Southern Adventist University President Gordon Bietz did, too!
Whole departments of Adventist universities are challenging their counterparts at sister institutions. (Watch Southwestern Adventist University Admissions and Enrollment challenge Union College and Andrews University).
You can watch Southwestern Adventist University President Ken Shaw and Loma Linda School of Medicine Dean Roger Hadley get wet, and Loma Linda University President Richard Hart sit in a swimming pool for his dousing, so as to conserve water.
What Adventist “celebrity” will be next?
